Sad News: R.I.P. George Carlin

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In what has to be some of the crummiest news to wake up to, comedian George Carlin has passed away yesterday of heart failure. He was 71.

If you are a fan of today's stand-up comedy, be you a fan of Lewis Black or even Dane Cook, you owe Carlin a debt of gratitude. If it wasn't for Carlin, they would have a hard time earning their living. He revolutionized the world of stand-up comedy, picking up the ball left behind by Lenny Bruce and running with it, and terraformed that landscape of comedy we see today.

And even more amazing is the fact that he was still performing, including a show last week in Las Vegas. His comedy was just as timely now as it was when he started in the 60s. Sure, he adapted with the years, but that in and of itself takes skill and intelligence.

The world of comedy has lost one of its greatest legends and the world in general has lost a unique voice. He will be missed.

For a nice obituary, check out CNN.com.

Book: Comedy At The Edge by Richard Zoglin

Comedy at the Edge: How Stand-up in the 1970s Changed America

Richard Zoglin

I had been inspired after reading Steve Martin's memoir to further read about stand up comedy in the 1970's. Lucky for me, Richard Zoglin decided to write a book about it.

This book is pretty comprehensive for any fans of comedy. It starts with the metamorphosis of both George Carlin and Richard Pryor and the effect on the generation of comedians that started after them.

Zoglin talks to almost all the major players: Robin Williams, Carlin, Albert Brooks, and even the recluse, and hard to interview David Letterman.

The story spans both coasts and traces the rise of the comedy clubs and the importance of Johnny Carson and the Tonight Show on many a career.

The one flaw about the book, and it is a minor one, is that Zoglin is a bit repetitive with his anecdotes. Say, the same story by Jerry Seinfeld speaking on how Robert Klein influenced him appears when Zoglin talks about Klein and about Seinfeld. And it is repeated almost word for word. That is a bit distracting.

But, like I said, that was relatively minor. This book is an excellent history of a unique artform. If you like comedy, you'll like this one.